7-May-09  An April 18 article in MCO went on and on about web sites based at Marina City ranking between 100,000 and one million in visits. Imagine our surprise to hear from Marina City resident Jan Klerks, who operates the worlds largest architectural web site, with an Alexa traffic ranking closer to 2,000.

skyscrapercity.com offers news, photographs, and discussions about skyscrapers, skylines, cities, architecture, and urbanity, The site is where, says its creator, Jan Klerks, urban minded folks from all over the world gather to share knowledge, facts, images and enthusiasm for these topics, as embodied in the skyscraper.

Klerks started the web site in 2002 after moving to Chicago from Rotterdam. He is Research & Communication Manager for the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, which according to its web site, studies and reports on all aspects of the planning, design, and construction of tall buildings.

According to Klerks, the non-profit site attracts 500,000 unique visitors daily. He says he never intended it to be so popular. At first, the site only covered buildings in the Netherlands. But when an international skyscraper forum floundered, Klerks was encouraged to step in. The new site opened on September 11, 2002. From that point on, the site has been expanding, attracting new mass as it went along.

Looking back, says Klerks (left), I guess it was able to grow because of being there at the right time with the right attitude.

The site claims 21,406 users logged in on February 25. Recent topics in the sites Chicago forum include arts in Chicago, the economy, Olympics, and the L, past and present.

Says Klerks, Its just great fun to see people from literally all over the world taking an interest in these topics.

Celebrate the birth and life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with Chicago Sinfonietta as it presents its signature annual MLK Tribute Concert. Chicago Sinfonietta will perform Ludwig Van Beethoven’s Egmont Overture Op. 84, Adolphus Hailstork’s Epitaph for a Man Who Dreamed, Trevor Weston’s The People Could Fly, Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s Petite Suite de Concert Op. 77, plus Sir Michael Tippett’s Five Negro Spirituals from A child of our time and James Lee III’s Come Unto Me. A continued spoken word performance of Dr. King’s most important speeches will be interlaced with the musical components of the program. 7:30 p.m., Symphony Center, 220 South Michigan Avenue. Tickets: $10-62. Map. More info.

Tuesday

City Club of Chicago presents Lou Raizin, president of Broadway in Chicago, on Arts, Culture, Politics, and Power. Raizin leads the five premier theater stages in the city, bringing an economic impact of more than $750 million annually to the City of Chicago and State of Illinois. He created and currently chairs the Board of LUMA8 (Light Up My Arts), an entity of which currently supports the Arts In The Dark Parade and the River Walk Lantern Festival. He is also Board Chair of Chicago Loop Alliance. 11:30 a.m. reception, 12:00 p.m. luncheon. Maggiano’s Banquets, 111 West Grand Avenue. Cost: $50. Map. More info.